NORTH AMERICA: Interest in CO2 refrigeration is growing in the USA and Canada according to reports. Over 125 secondary, cascade and transcritical refrigeration installations systems are said to have been installed in North America with many more planned.
While the report compilers - the Belgium-based market development company Shecco - recognises the region's considerable opportunities it acknowledges that it still remains a market of largely untapped potential. Europe still leads the way with this technology - Shecco estimating that around 3,000 such systems exist in Europe, with 300 in the UK alone.

According to Natural Refrigerants - Market Growth for North America, over 65 food retail stores use CO2 in Canada. transcritical systems are reportedly the industry standard: retailer Sobey's has already installed 36 CO2 transcritical systems and 22 more have been approved for 2013.

The first two supermarkets running on CO2 systems opened in Canada in 2009. These were the Walmart, Burlington, supercentre and the IGA supermarket in St-Felix-de-Valois in Quebec. Canada was estimated to have 37 completed CO2 transcritical installations in 2012, with an additional 24 planned for this year. Ten CO2 cascade installations and three secondary installations were completed or purchase orders made in 2012.

The first US system was installed in 2006 in Sam's Club, a division of Walmart, in Savannah, Georgia. In 2008, the first low temperature CO2 cascade system was installed in a Price Chopper store in Saratoga. In total 20 cascade installations were completed or purchase orders made in 2012.

The USA boasts 55 completed installations or purchase orders made in 2012, and 25 planned installations for 2013.

The first two transcritical supermarket installations in the USA are reported to be coming online this year.

The North American Guide is available for free at http://guide.shecco.com.